What's good for the goose ...

Radical Islamists Burn Pope in Effigy

so then .... Radical Islamists Burn Muhammad in Effigy

Speak out agaist hypocrisy ...

.... in Iraq, in Turkey, in the US, in Edinburg and the rest of the World!

What's going on here?

As stated in Section VIII. Awarding of Bids/Contracts/Resolutions, Subsection F and I on the City of Edinburg's agenda for November 21, 2006, the city of Edinburg is looking to hire attorneys.

Subsection F. "Consider Authorizing Interim City Manager to Negotiate and Enter Into a Professional Services Agreement for Collection of Delinquent Court Costs, Fines and Fees."

Subsection I. "... Retaining Counsel to Represent the City" possibly against AEP.

As I mentioned earlier, on the City of Edinburg's agenda for November 8, 2006, an item of interest is in Section IX Awarding of Bids/Contracts/Resolutions, Subsection I - Consider proposal of Bond Counsel Services .... I wonder if Joe-Joe is trying to bring in one of his lawyer buddies into this one. Political favor, hummmm? We shall see.

Today ... that gives three opportunities for for Joe-Joe to fulfill his campaign promises. To counter that, I encourage all attorneys in Edinburg to give the interim City Manager a call for an interview or send letters of qualifications.

Let's make a deal ... an illegal deal

As stated in the November 15, 2006 "County seeks DA’s opinion on contract," article in the Monitor, "Last week, [Hidlago County Judge Ramon] Garcia repeatedly asked the Linebarger, Goggan, Blair & Sampson representative to lower a proposed 20-percent collection fee to 15 percent." So what's the problem ....

Start with this. "Linebarger did not indicate in writing how much it would charge delinquent taxpayers, although a representative told the commissioners they would charge 20 percent." Therefore there was a defect-omission in the bid. As stated in Texas Local Government Code § 271.026, "A bid that has been opened may not be changed for the purpose of correcting an error in the bid price."

Further, as stated in Texas Local Government Code § 271.0245,

"[The] governing body of the governmental entity shall provide all bidders with the opportunity to bid on the same items on equal terms and have bids judged according to the same standards as set forth in the specifications."

However, I feel the more important question is part (b), which states "A governmental entity shall receive bids under this subchapter in a fair and confidential manner."

As asked in the Monitor, "[Does] the omission [of the collection fee] on the paperwork invalidates Linebarger’s bid? If not, did Garcia’s repeated questioning constitute an improper negotiation?" Here's my opinion ...

Did the omission on the paperwork invalidate Linebarger’s bid? No. However, the addition was a correction effecting the bid price and the addition did not offer the same and equal opportunities to renegotiate to the other bidders. Therefore, although there was a omission, the addition/correction was improper, thus, disqualifying.

Did Garcia’s repeated questioning constitute an improper negotiation? Yes. Ramon did not offer the same and equal renegotiation opportunities to to the other bidders. Further, the negotiation was not received through bid "in a fair and confidential manner."

As per punishment ... according to Texas Local Government Code § 271.029, a violation of the bidding process is either a Class B or C misdemeanor. Further, as stated in Texas Local Government Code § 271.030, calls for the immediate removal of the violator from office.

Its all about the lies in McAllen ISD

As stated in NewsChannel 5 "Superintendent's Certification Expires" news report, due to a computer glitch McAllen's Superintendent, Yolanda Chapa's credentials have expired. However a district spokeperson says the inactive status is an error.

There have been many lies from McAllen ISD ... especially from Ms. Chapa. But this one takes the cake. According to the State Board of Education Certification, McAllen Superintendent Yolanda Chapa's Texas educator certificate is inactive. It expired September 30th.

McAllen ISD officials call it a computer glitch. TEA says she may have fulfilled all of the requirements, but she still needs to complete an online application. Where's the computer glitch?

Ok, I see it. The computer glitch is that Yolanda Chapa failed to use the computer. And she's the Super. McAllen ISD can produce astronauts, but not a computer literate Superintendent. Good luck McAllen.

Yolanda ... follow the simple instruction here ... no charge!

i ... didn't-vote-for-him .... tronic machine

As I mentioned before in “The infamous voting machine,” there are some suspicions regarding the ES&S iVotronic Voting Machine. Since the Help America Vote Act (HAVA) was signed in 2002, Hidalgo County opted to use the ES&S iVotronic Voting Machine, which was certified on May 26, 2004.

Organizations such as VotersUnite! and BlackBoxVoting seem to have major issues with the Diebold system; however, there is list of all the reported problems with the ES&S iVotronic machine, which include lost votes and phantom votes.

Well, here we are again in Hidalgo County and the iVotronic Voting Machines. As stated in the November 8, 2006 “Human Error Blamed for Wrong Tally Vote in Hidalgo County” Team 4 News report, “A programming error … [in the] early voting results in House District 28 put long-shot Constitution Party candidate Ron Avery ahead of popular Democratic incumbent Henry Cuellar by almost 2,000 votes with roughly 2,200 tabulated.”

“The problem was not in the touch screen voting machines, nor the cartridges that record the totals, but in the specific software program written to compile the totals,” said Teresa Navarro, Hidalgo County elections administrator, “It was a coding-slash-programming error.”

Ok, was it a programming error or a human error? True, humans program the machines, but that is a software error … not a human error (an end user error). It makes me wonder … how many other smaller votes in other elections went to unsuspecting candidates by this “human” programming error. Where is the paper trail?

The incident was not serious enough for Texas officials to consider decertifying the company, said Scott Haywood, a spokesman for the Secretary of State.

An approximate 90% error … is “not serious enough.”

Keep an eye on the kickbacks ....

I previously stated in "All because of Joe-Joe the Clown," Joe got elected and now gives his first kickback to ... [drumroll] ... his college buddy/roomie, David Negrete. Who's next ... Eddie Saenz? Gilbert Enriquez? Jaime Chavana? Hector Casas?

I then pointed out on "Political Ad Paid for by Joe Ochoa" that Joe's second kickback went to ... [drumroll] ... Gilbert Enriquez, Enriquez Enterprises.

On the City of Edinburg's agenda for November 8, 2006, Joe-Joe is now trying to engourage sales for Hector Casas owned properties and development by placing a monument sign on the intersection of Los Lagos Drive and Raul Longoria, as stated in Section IX Awarding of Bids/Contracts/Resolutions, Subsection H.

Therefore, Joe's third kickback now goes to [drumroll] ... Hector Casas, Joe's favorite campaign worker.

Another item of interest is in Section IX Awarding of Bids/Contracts/Resolutions, Subsection I - Consider proposal of Bond Counsel Services .... I wonder if Joe-Joe is trying to bring in one of his lawyer buddies into this one. Political favor, hummmm? We shall see.

All has been quiet in Edinburg ...

... but I am back, ready and energized. I saw this on the November 05, 2006 edition of The Monitor ...

Voting won’t put a stop to the lies

To the editor:

Vote, vote, vote. Get out and vote. But are we getting enough for our vote? No. Hear the lies. Look at the liar. Smell the bad lies. Taste the sour lies, and than touch the no lie button.

Mike Pinon, Mission

I know how you feel Mr. Pinon. Keep up the good work. Maybe politicians will start telling the truth. :)